The 18th Annual Midwest Microbial Pathogenesis Conference (MMPC) will be held October 21-23, 2011 in Ann Arbor, MI, and will be sponsored by the University of Michigan. This annual meeting has been a longstanding major venue for interactions and collaboration between microbial pathogenesis researchers located throughout the Midwest region. This conference focuses on the latest findings on cellular and molecular aspects of a wide range of microbial pathogens and how they relate to human diseases. One key feature of this meeting includes the tradition where approximately half of the research talks are targeted for new investigators, thus allowing their integration into the Midwest scientific community. Special efforts will be made to attract women and minorities to participate and speak at the conference. Based on the attendance at recent MMPCs, we anticipate 200-250 scientists, including a large number of more junior trainees, will attend the 18th Annual MMPC. A key factor that has encouraged attendance at this meeting in the past has been the low registration fees. To prevent having to raise these fees and potentially risk reduced participation, we are requesting support for the 2011 MMPC from NIAID. The overarching goal of the MMPC in fostering discussions, interactions and collaborations that lead to identification, characterization and validation of new therapeutic targets to prevent/treat human diseases clearly places the conference within the mission of the NIH and particularly the NIAID. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The 18th Annual Midwest Microbial Pathogenesis Conference will be held in Ann Arbor, MI on October 21-23, 2011. This meeting draws 200-300 principle investigators, postdoctoral fellows, graduate students and technicians to present and discuss recent advances in microbial pathogenesis from the universities in the midwest region of the United States.